Hocus Pocus: The Best Of Focus - Focus

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Not applicable
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Dutch Prog Rock Rules
Disadvantages:	I am a not a Norse War God yet

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Ever bough an album because of one song? And did that song include an amazing hard rock riff and yodeling? If the answer to both these questions is yes then hi there I am pleased to meet another Focus fan.

A couple of years ago I heard the song "Hocus Pocus" on a compilation album that we put on in the pub, I immediately remembered footage of Focus performing it on the Old Grey Whistle Test in the 70's. The song became our end of the night anthem and many a customer heard the statement "hey it contains a great guitar riff and yodeling, what is not to like about it", the unlucky ones experienced us attempting to yodel, but this is now firmly one of my favorite songs ever. I decided that I must hunt down this song and found this best of compilation going cheap in HMV, straight into my pocket it went and the Job was done...... It also has two versions of Hocus Pocus the U.S. Single version being even more frantic than the full length version woo hoo.

I only bought this CD for one song but there was even more delights in store for me, like "Anonymous" which has great flute playing another set of great guitar riffs and funky drumming. "House of The King" is another track worth mentioning with its medieval flute thing going on and clean handclaps, I remember this from when I was a young contender and it brought back many happy memories of running round the house dressed as a Viking in honor of my Norse ancestry, even to this day my motto is "See a Monastery, Burn a Monastery" but that has nothing to do with this review....... "Sylvia" is worth another mention it has a wonderful haunting guitar solo and some great riffs.

So there you go a great collection of songs from a band not many have heard of but a lot of you like me will have heard the songs. The music is mostly instrumental taking influences fro Jazz, Rock, Classical and Folk music but then this is progressive rock and what do you expect, there is some wonderful haunting melodies in there as well as the more rocky stuff, and in my opinion it is only a matter of time before Dutch progressive rock makes a comeback.....................

Track List:-

1. Hocus Pocus
2. Anonymous
3. House Of The King
4. Focus - (instrumental)
5. Janis
6. Focus II
7. Tommy
8. Sylvia
9. Focus III
10. Harem Scarem
11. Mother Focus
12. Focus IV
13. Bennie Helder
14. Glider
15. Red Sky At Night
16. Hocus Pocus - (U.S. Single version)